‘The Office:’ Hello and (maybe) goodbye

If you haven’t watched the episode yet and would prefer to be surprised by the ending, do not click the link below to read more. (And if you haven’t watched it yet, what the heck are you waiting for? Catch it now!)

Now that we’re all on the same page, let’s start at the ending. Michael’s been on an emotional roller-coaster at work ever since David Wallace Holly away. He bucked up a bit when he went out on that lecture tour, but, it seems, his feelings were still fragile. And having to answer to someone who comes from a steel background — steel, of all things! — intead of directly to David Wallace himself was more than he could bear. And so, perhaps also feeling that he was being patronized when David Wallace said he would move some money around so that Michael could have his 15th anniversary bash, he quit.

The very handsome new VP Charles Miner may not have gone over well with Michael — Charles seemes to view the workplace as a place to work, of all things, and no place for parties or personal discussions of any kind — but he did seem to set the ladies’ aflutter (“He’s like a black George Clooney”). Angela, who is looking to trade up substantially, even followed him out of the building at the end of the day, and seems to have somehow acquired his scarf — we don’t really need to know how — sparking a jealous Kelly to chase her down. Based on the way Angela looked in her talking head afterward — mascara smeared, hair askew, yet with a victorious glow about her — I’m guessing that Angela held on to the scarf.

Jim, who had no problem at all settling into the professionally-run Stamford office, has backslid to his glory days of tormenting Dwight. Alas, in attempting to explain all of this to an outsider — the tux, the meaningless title, etc. — he wound up looking, to Charles, pretty much the way that Dwight looks to Jim.

Of course, no one came off looking all that good to Charles, who didn’t seem to know what to make of the C-shaped bagels or the history of Scranton that Dwight delivered while stalling for Michael’s big surprise in the conference room. Charles was so apalled by the amount of time the Party Planning Committee was taking with Michael’s anniversary party that he actually dissolved it.

So, what do you think? Is Michael actually going to forge a new, Dunder Mifflin-less trail? And, if he does, will Dwight actually officially take over Michael’s job (especially since Jim looks like the office goober in Charles’ eyes)?

What we learned: Michael has never been hang-gliding or driven his car to the top of Mount Washington.

Unanswered questions: What exactly was in Dwight’s memo about professionalism that prompted Jim to show up in a tux? And will Michael actually pursue Shoe-La-La now?

Best lines: Dwight, during the cold open “class” debate: “Mr. Peanut’s not classy; he just happens to have a cane, a monocle and a top hat.” Michael, arguing against being managed by Charles: “Truth be told, I think I thrive under a lack of accountability.” Jim explaining the two-way petting zoo: “You pet the animals, they pet you.” Charles to Jim on the Assistant Regional Manager title: “Do you want to keep this made-up position? It’s important to you?”